Org. Setting and Reporting

To ensure a United Nations that is fit-for-purpose to deliver on the ambition of the SDGs, the General Assembly adopted the most far-reaching development reforms in the history of the organization in May 2018. At the core of resolution 72/279 was the establishment of a reinvigorated, independent, impartial, and empowered Resident Coordinator (RC) system to support a new generation of UN country teams (UNCTs). A critical investment in RC system capacities is the strengthening of the Development Coordination Office (DCO), including, for the first time, at the regional level. The DCO Regional teams play a pivotal role in supporting the work of RCs, RC Offices (RCOs), and UNCTs and facilitating coordination of the UN's regional assets to deliver efficient and effective operational activities at the country level and in cross-border settings. The DCO Regional teams are part of DCO headquarters capacities, located in the same region as the countries within their remit. The Regional Director reports to the Assistant Secretary- General (ASG) and Director, DCO, as First Reporting Officer, and to the Chair of the Regional UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) as Second Reporting Officer.

Responsibilities

The primary role of the DCO regional teams is to channel strategic support to Resident Coordinators (RC) and UN country teams (UNCT) and foster interaction, cross-region sharing of experience, and synergies among RCs / UNCTs to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Within delegated authority, the Regional Director will be responsible for the following: Management and operations: • Directs and manages the DCO Regional team, including management of the work programme and resources, ensuring relevant links with counterparts in other regions and with DCO New York. • Manages day-to-day operations of the RC system in the region, including operational backstopping of RCOs, in collaboration with DCO New York. • Ensures that the regional office and RC Offices in the region deliver on the commitment to “UN 2.0,” through systematic integration of expertise and transformation of management through data, digital, innovation, foresight, and behavioural science. • Serves as performance manager of RCs at the D1 and D2 level. Strategic guidance and oversight of RC/Os: • Provides strategic support to RC leadership and support RC offices to deliver on their mandate to ensure coherent, effective and efficient support to countries for SDG acceleration, ensuring responsiveness to RC/UNCT requests . • Engages with DCO New York and the UN development system partners at the regional level to facilitate enhanced tailored support to RCs/UNCTs in crisis/complex settings, and support the integration of UNCT work with UN peace operations and Special Political Missions, as relevant. • Drawing on networked DCO capacities and those across the system, ensure that all RC Offices in the region land key global initiatives at the country level, including follow-up to global meetings as well as corporate strategies and initiatives, integrating UN 2.0 expertise and capacities throughout. • Supports RCs in implementing the Management and Accountability Framework at the country level and manage the UNCT dispute resolution mechanism in the region • Promotes and supports the roll-out of common operational services initiatives/business innovation at the country and regional level, contributing to enhanced efficiency gains. • Support RCs and UNCTs in their efforts to establish SDG-related partnerships with external partners at regional levels, including with IFIs, international organizations, CSOs and private sector, at the request of RCs/UNCTs. Regional coordination support: • Provides leadership and strategic thinking to identify existing and emerging development challenges and priorities in the region and advises the UNSDG on emerging regional issues, especially as it relates to key transitions to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in the region. • Facilitates the preparation and dissemination of analyses on key thematic issues, drawing on relevant regional capacities from across the system. • Provides effective Secretariat support to the Regional Collaboration Platform (RCP) and its associated subsidiary bodies. Coordinate engagement of RCs and UNCTs with the RCP, enabling access to regional UN expertise. • Chairs the regional Peer Support Group to support RCs and UNCTs prepare high quality Common Country Assessments and Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks. • Facilitates and promotes regional level knowledge exchange on policy, programmatic and operational issues across the UN development system, including through regional and global RCO communities of practice. • Reports on regional results and provides support and quality control to RCs, UNCTs, and RCOs in the region on planning, monitoring and results-reporting tools. • Supports, tracks and reports on implementation of UN reform initiatives in the region. Corporate management: • As a member of the DCO Senior Management Team (SMT), contributes to the formulation of DCO strategies and policies by participating in the SMT and various other leadership fora as required, preparing documents on policy issues, and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the Director and Deputy Director of DCO; contributes to the overall management of the Office's activities and operations. • Facilitates DCO engagement with host Governments, donors and counterparts; chairs meetings and seminars on substantive issues; represents the Organization at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences, providing expertise, as needed. • Performs other related duties as requested by the Assistant Secretary- General (ASG) and Director of the Organization.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Shows ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Shows ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies, and guidelines in work situations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients" and seeks to see things from clients' point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. JUDGMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in international relations or public administration, law, social sciences or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in international relations or public administration, law, social sciences or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

Over fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in the management and coordination of development cooperation is required. A minimum of ten years of experience serving in leadership positions in the field (outside the candidate's country of origin) is desirable. A minimum of 5 years' experience serving in international and/or multi-lateral organizations is desirable. Experience serving in a senior management role in the United Nations is desirable. Experience in delivering sustainable development policy and programme results is desirable. Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams to effect change and deliver joint results is desirable. Experience managing multi-cultural teams is desirable. Experience serving as a UN Resident Coordinator is desirable.

Languages

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is open for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension subject to legislative body funding availability. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Internal Applicants: When completing the form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up-to-date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Individual contractors and consultants (Non-Staff Personnel) who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Need Help?" link. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 May 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Andorra, Angola, Belize, China, Cuba, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Turkmenistan, United States of America.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.